Play equipment has evolved over the years. Early play equipment included a swing set and slide located outside in a residential yard or park. Over time, additions were made in the form of monkey bars, climbing apparatuses, elevated walkways, platforms, etc. Monkey bars are parallel bars or beams with cross-bars spaced like ladder rungs. Using the hands, a user hangs from the cross-bars and moves from one cross-bar to another. If a user should lose their grip, the user falls, typically feet first, onto the ground below. The ground may be pea gravel, which softens the landing. Platforms and elevated walkways are typically climbing equipment and are reached by climbing ladders. A user descends therefrom by slides, ladders or vertical poles.
Another type of play equipment includes ropes courses. While swing sets and associated climbing equipment typically take a relatively small area of ground, a ropes course takes up a much larger area and is elevated. A user ascends a pole to a platform, and walks or climbs across on ropes, boards, etc. Users wear a safety harness and are connected to a safety line or cable. The user is elevated sufficiently far above ground that if the user fell without safety equipment, injury could result.
Still another type of play equipment is a zip line. A zip line spans a long distance from one location to another and is elevated far above ground. The user is connected to a trolley or pulley and descends along the inclined zip line by way of gravity.
While outdoor play equipment continues in use, in many locales, play equipment can be found inside, in a temperature-controlled environment. Such indoor facilities offer the advantage of allowing play, regardless of the weather outside. In some locales, the weather can be warm or hot; the indoor facility is cooled with air conditioning. In other locales, the weather can be cold; the indoor facility is warmed. Indoor facilities also provide lighting to allow play activities to occur past sunset.
Indoor facilities include a variety of activities, such as trampolines and bounce houses (having inflated walls and floors). Padding is provided where needed. For example, with trampolines, padding is provided along the sides of the trampoline. The padding is typically foam covered in a plastic outer layer. In addition to the play equipment, some indoor facilities also include food sales and areas with tables to dine at.
Some indoor facilities are located in former industrial, retail, office, or flex buildings, with high roofs and ceilings, or with the floors cut through to create high ceilings. There is a desire to install elevated play equipment in these high roofed buildings, in order to increase the enjoyment for users. One such elevated type of equipment is a ropes course. Some ropes courses, particularly those for small children, may be a short distance above the floor, which floor is padding. If a child should fall, the child lands on soft padding. Many ropes courses however are elevated some distance above the floor, high enough to walk under. These ropes courses require the user to wear a safety harness. Should a user fall, the fall is arrested by the safety harness and the user is slopped short well above ground.
Another elevated type of equipment is a zip coaster, or roll glider. A zip coaster is a rail that drops gradually in elevation from beginning to end. A user wears a harness and, suspended underneath, rides the rail on a type of trolley. The trolley moves in a gradual descent with low friction on the rail, pulled by the weight of the user. Zip coaster rails are typically curved, thus allowing the user to swing to the outside of the curve, further adding to the enjoyment of the ride.
In the prior art, there are several multi-level types of play equipment. Showers U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,864 shows a playground maze apparatus having four levels. Users can move from one level to another by climbing through apertures in the floors or ceilings of a level. Once on a particular level, the user can move around rooms and maze configurations.
Nagelski U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,988 shows a tower with a spiral staircase. Openings are provided on an outer wall to allow children to climb through.
Jonas U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,633 shows a climbing wall extending to an upper level, which upper level is also accessible by a ladder.
Munger U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,416 shows ladders and horizontal bars arranged in vertical and inclined positions to create climbing structures.
Kitka U.S. Pat. No. 4,337,941 shows a climbing structure with ladders, horizontal half logs and vertical poles, as well as a slide.
Briggs U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,853,332 and 6,174,242 show multi-level play structures having devices that shoot soft projectiles.
It is desired to improve play structures, and in particular to provide play structures with different types of elevated equipment to enhance the enjoyment by users.